NHNE News List
Current Members: 1440
Subscribe/unsubscribe/archive info at the bottom of this message.

------------

CLINTON'S DEAL WITH SODA MAJORS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
By Paula Cussons
EarthTimes.Org
May 9, 2006

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/6517.html

The agreement between soft drinks makers and Bill Clinton to stop sales of
high-calorie aerated drinks in public schools has invited praises from some,
but skepticism from others. While some feel the move will go a long way in
curbing childhood obesity which is threatening the health scenario of the
United States, some others point out to the sale of 'low calorie' sodas and
sports drink that are still available to children. Most, however, have
reluctantly applauded the beverage industry which has agreed to let go of
part of its profit to do its bit to curb the menace.

³This one policy can add years and years and years to the lives of a very
large number of young people,² former US President Bill Clinton had said
while announcing the deal. The efforts came in wake of different studies
that pointed fingers at colas companies as drivers of obesity.

A Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) study, called Liquid
Candy: How Soft Drinks Are Harming America's Youth was a landmark one that
found how rising consumption of soft drinks was driving obesity in children.
³Soda pop provides the average 12- to 19-year-old boy with about 15
teaspoons of refined sugars a day and the average girl with about 10
teaspoons a day,² the authors had said in their report. In addition to
increasing body weight without providing nutrients, sodas also caused 'lower
intake of numerous vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber', the report
contended.

In this scenario, making sodas hard to find in school cafeterias and vending
machines is a positive step. Of course, children can still get them outside,
but given the time they spend in schools, the consumption is likely to go
down. The options available might catch on too -- unsweetened fruit juices,
milk, water and diet colas. One concern, however, is sports drinks, which
are nothing but sugar and salt water. According to nutritionist Margo Wootan
the deal should have included these drinks as well. ³They're still basically
sugar water with added salt. A child after physical education class doesn't
need a Gatorade,² she said.

Florida's Sarasota County educationist Carol Todd is appreciative of the
step the American Beverage Association has taken. ³The research is very
clear: Healthy children perform better academically in school. I don't think
we need to be the food police, but it is our role to model for our children
the things we feel are important,² she said.

But Sarasota's food and nutrition director Beverly Girard feels parents need
to take this further by restricting their kids' intake of calories in other
spheres of life too. ³Doing the right thing goes far beyond what is being
done in schools, but also what is being allowed at home, during recreation,
at the mall,² she said.

Now, anti-obesity activists are likely to direct their attentions towards
snacks that are served in schools, an issue that might help shape
school-going children's eating habits. Julie Marie, director of Lincoln High
School in Wisconsin, agrees with this approach. ³We are an educational
facility. And we should provide good choices to our kids. And model what we
want them to do,² she said.

Meanwhile, in a bid to introduce soft drinks that deviate from the sugar and
water recipe, Coca Cola has developed mixed soda drinks in collaboration
with the Culinary Institute of America. Among these new beverages are Fresca
Pomegranate and Odwalla PomaGrand, which contain pomegranate juice,
Coca-Cola Hot Tamale that contains Worcestershire and other sauces, black
pepper and fresh lime, and Pibb Very Cherry that contains pineapple juice
with cherry syrup.

------------

RELATED NHNE NEWS LIST ARTICLES:

CARCINOGENIC SOFT DRINKS (3/15/2006):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhnenews/message/10981

ALL ABOUT REFINED SUGAR (& WHY IT IS SO BAD FOR OUR HEALTH) (10/28/2005):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhnenews/message/10224

STUDY LINKS ASPARTAME WITH CANCERS (10/4/2005):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhnenews/message/10081

SUGARY SOFT DRINKS RAISE RISK OF DIABETES (9/6/2004):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhnenews/message/7831

ASPARTAME FOLLOW UP (2/11/2002):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhnenews/message/2694

THE DARK SIDE OF ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS (2/11/2002):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhnenews/message/2690

THE DARK SIDE OF PROCESSED FOODS (1/18/2001):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhnenews/message/1055

------------

NHNE News List:

To subscribe, send a message to:
nhnenews-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

To unsubscribe, send a message to:
nhnenews-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

To review current posts:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhnenews/messages

Published by David Sunfellow
NewHeavenNewEarth (NHNE)
eMail: nhne@...
NHNE Website: http://www.nhne.org/
Phone: (928) 282-6120
Fax: (815) 642-0117

Appreciate what we are doing?
You can say so with a tax-deductible donation:
https://secure.groundspring.org/dn/index.php?aid=8173

P.O. Box 2242
Sedona, AZ 86339